A reader seeks advice on how to handle visits from a late friend's son and his undisciplined children. The reader, identified as Bother in Utah, explains that her husband often asks Marty, the son of his deceased best friend, for help with heavy handyman jobs. Marty always brings his wife and three young sons, but they fail to supervise or discipline the children, leaving the reader exhausted and wondering if she must parent them.
Dear Abby's Response
Dear Abby advises Bother to either speak directly to Marty's wife about the children's behavior, emphasizing her own health struggles with cancer, or to arrange to be away during their visits. The column also addresses two other dilemmas: a woman who consistently arrives late to a Christian women's group, and grandparents struggling to balance their desire for outings with their daughter-in-law's need for rest.
For the late arrival, Dear Abby suggests excluding her from the invitation list due to her rude behavior. For the grandparents, she recommends offering to take the grandchildren on outings while the daughter-in-law rests at home.
